Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Where to Dine in Stratford, Ontario in 2016

BY BRYAN LAVERY

When dining in Stratford, I can’t help but be drawn to
restaurants that authentically support farmers, vineyards, and food purveyors
by featuring quality local ingredients and products. I also like to take note
of the ambience, whether the cutlery is polished, and the wine and food
knowledge of the service staff. Great restaurants give a lot of thought and
attention to their wine and cocktail lists and, most importantly, to genuine
hospitality.

Bijou

For many years the culinary opus at Bijou has been a
front-runner in Stratford for inspired, locally-sourced cuisine. The bistro has
built a following as a destination restaurant for providing a good local taste
experience. Mark and Linda Simone purchased the legacy restaurant
last year and added a new entrance on Wellington St. and a small bar in the
front area. Chef Max Holbrook has moved on to Downie Street Bakehouse and Dion Lach is the new chef.

The farm-to-table inspired blackboard pre-theatre dinner
menu is prix fixe, offering three courses for $58.00. Chef and his team offer a
globally-inspired menu of small plates that is available after 8:00 p.m. Duck
confit with gnocchi and fresh Monforte Dairy curds is a knock-out, as is the
house-made lobster ravioli. There is a superior cheese plate of Monforte Dairy
selections. Bijou also serves a “Global Dim Sum” Sunday brunch that is offered
à la carte for easy sharing. 74 Wellington Street (front), 105 Erie Street
(back), 519-273-5000, www.bijourestaurant.com
.

The Bruce Restaurant

The dining rooms are white linen, chic with comfortable
square-backed upholstered chairs and settees. This is the top tier of dining;
the tasting menus are loaded with the ingredients which that term evokes. Chef Arron
Carley previously served as sous chef to Jason Bangerter at Luma, now executive
chef at Langdon Hall. He interned with renowned chef Rene Redzepi at Denmark’s
Noma, a Michelin two-star restaurant, which has been named “Best Restaurant in
the World” four times. Returning to Canada, Carley worked as a sous chef under
John Horne, executive chef at Toronto’s Canoe restaurant before being head-hunted
by The Bruce. Carley and his team are redefining New Canadian Cuisine. Think wild
Haida Gwaii ivory salmon with Wabigoon wild rice, morels, nettle puree, fennel
kelp oil and wild ginger broth or Boileau venison striploin with charred and
brined carrots, golden beets, reindeer moss, Saskatoon berries, green alder jus
and beet puree. They have dispensed with the prix fixe menu they offered the
last two seasons. At the time of this writing there is a 4-course tasting menu
for $95.00 and 6-course tasting menu for $115.00. Wine pairings are an
additional $49.00 and $55.00 respectively. Breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch
are à la carte and The Lounge offers a separate menu. There is a stunning
courtyard for al fresco dining. 89 Parkview Drive www.thebruce.ca

Keystone Alley

A refurbished
keystone Alley Café has re-opened under the ownership of Kim Hurley and Anthony
Jordaan. Stratford Chefs School graduates, executive chef Cortney Zettler and
sous chef Tina Logassi’s menus are driven by local sourcing with an offering of
rotating blackboard features. There is a dish at dinner called, 'three little
pigs,' which showcases the delicious heritage pork from Church Hill Farms. Herbed
crumbed schnitzel with wilted kale; pork truffled pasta with sage crema; and
sausage braised cabbage are an early example of this dish. There is a vegetarian taco at lunch which is
served open-faced on a grilled flat bread featuring produce from Soiled
Reputation, Shallot Hill and other local producers that come to the kitchen
door. A lunch feature called ‘meat and bread’ will showcase pork, beef,
chicken, lamb and duck procured from McIntosh Farms and Church Hill Farms. We
like the grilled “Buffalo” cauliflower with roasted radish, lentils, kale
chips, pistachio puree and hot sauce. That is Buffalo meaning the sauce not the
city. There is a small wine offering and a smart patio for al fresco dining. 34
Brunswick Street, www.keystonealley.com

Mercer Kitchen, Beer Hall Hotel

The recently
relaunched Mercer Kitchen, Beer Hall Hotel offers fifteen draft lines,
Stratford’s only cask engine, and over 120 brands including award-winners, and
hard to find one-offs that move very quickly. Over half the bottles are Ontario
brews. The interior has been refurbished to project a casual more accessible
ambience. They have added some communal tables to foster a sense of community
and conviviality. In a conscious decision to eliminate any trappings of fine
dining the service staff now wear jeans and custom t-shirts. The casual
brasserie-style ambience is essentially inspired by the izakaya, the informal
Japanese beer pubs that Chef Ryan O’Donnell frequented during his travels in
Japan. O’Donnell’s collaborative well-thought-out menus feature items that
are meant to be shared communally and are perfect for the lively, dynamic
atmosphere. The all-day menu is divided into categories: fresh salads, small
plates, medium plates, substantials, fried chicken & wings, sides, burgers
& bowls, and desserts. The new 40 plus item menu (which includes some
interesting sides and condiments) has Asian culinary influences and
underpinnings. Some interesting cultural interpretations include Mercer’s tonkatsu
pork schnitzel coated in panko breadcrumbs; chicken karrage (Japanese-style
fried chicken) with lemon togarashi mayo; and improbably delicious steamed pork
buns with spicy aioli, cilantro pickled onions, carrots ribbons and lime. There
are also pig tails with chili potato salad, in homage to the Huron-Perth
Germanic heritage with buttered biscuits and baked beans. Pastry chef Simon
Briggs who is also an instructor alongside O’Donnell at Stratford Chefs School
is also part of the high-functioning 18 member kitchen team. Comfortable guest
rooms that have had a recent face-lift are located above the restaurant. www.mercerhall.ca

The Mill Stone Restaurant

The Mill
Stone Restaurant is
a new arrival in Stratford with seasonally-inspired lunch, dinner and late
night menus using locally procured ingredients. The menu evokes the gastropub sensibility
with rustic items like ham hock terrine house pickle, apple chutney,
cheese savoury, house made bread;
crispy pork jowl with arugula; salad and hot smoked salmon with horseradish
mousse, peppered watercress and, toasted pumpernickel bread. Charbroiled
Blanbrook Farms bison sliders with house-cured vanilla bacon, onion marmalade,
brioche and triple cooked fries are extremely tasty. They make a superior
Caesar salad. Chef Chris Powell received his culinary
training in England and worked in the industry in the U.K. and Spain. His
culinary repertoire includes pastry work and Modern European cuisine. There is
a refined wine list and hand crafted cocktails. 30 Ontario Street. www.themillstone.ca

Monforte on Wellington

Ruth Klahsen’s
down-to-earth three year-old osteria featuring a seasonally–inspired
menu is larded with charcuterie and cheese boards, salads and many other
in-house specialties inspired by a Monforte Dairy cheese. We love the
unpretentiousness, the corn dog fritters with beer mustard, baked brin d’amour
with honey and crackers; and the rich, buttery water buffalo ice cream. This is
the perfect place for a grilled cheese or some comforting mac and cheese.
Klahsen’s deep-rooted commitment to things sustainable, local and hand-crafted
seems to continue to both fortify and nourish her creative drive and dedicated
entrepreneurism. There is a charming intimate courtyard for al fresco dining
where we have been feted by Frances, (the gracious manager), on several
occasions. We love the friendly in-depth explanations about the provenance of
each ingredient. On a recent visit her hospitality extended to trying to
procure us some of the recently released Moonshine from Distillery 56. Now that
is hospitality. The casual osteria is BYOW with a reasonable $15 corkage fee,
or, if you order a glass of VQA wine, they will bring you a full bottle and
charge you by the ounce for what you drink. 80 Wellington Street, Stratford

Pazzo Taverna and Pizzeria

This street-level ristorante proffers rustic
Italian-inspired cuisine in a contemporary setting overlooking the Avon River. Stratford
Chefs School alumnus, Yva Santini is celebrating her ninth season at Pazzo
Taverna. Chef has a reputation for crafting authentically appealing cuisine
that gratifies and stimulates, and reinterprets the Italian culinary canon with
an eye to seasonality and the Perth County terroir.“Hand stretched
burrata and house made pastas and gnocchi, make up the heart of this season’s
menu.” All the pastas are made
in-house by hand using Italian “00” flour. The restaurant showcases the
simple, natural flavours of locally-sourced meats and produce in the Italian
tradition combined with a diverse list of Canadian and Imported wines by the
glass and bottle. The Pizzeria serves the best thin crust pizza in the area. This is where the locals hang out. 70
Ontario Street www.pazzo.ca

The Prune

Since 1977, The Prune has been a Stratford favourite. The
menu is prix fixe, offering 2 courses for $55.00, 3 courses for $69.00, or 4
courses for $79.00. This arrangement is meant to expedite the challenges of
pre-theatre dining where theatre-goers arrive and depart simultaneously. Last
year we got caught in the crush. The menu is designed for a prix fixe
experience but is also available a la carte upon your request. Appetizer dishes
might include chicken liver mousse, seabuckthorn and brioche; or asparagus and
frisée salad, soft egg, chorizo, "piperade" vinaigrette. Traditional
main dishes might include grilled skate wing with sambal, pineapple nage and
cucumber; or glazed Muscovy duck, honey, star anise, currants and cinnamon
caps. Grilled rib steak (for two), Swiss chard gratin, buttermilk onion
rings has a supplement charge of $10
per person. Sides are an
additional $8. There is a modest wine list this season. Charming outdoor
dining on the patio under the tree. 151 Albert Street www.theprune.com​

The Red Rabbit

“A locally sourced
restaurant, run by workers, owned by workers, shared by the community,” pretty
much sums up the Red Rabbit’s ethos. Chef Sean Collins terms his cooking
as “Flavour First, Ingredient Driven.” Chef says, “We cook food we like to
eat.” The lunch menu is served Sunday
and Monday from 12 to 2:30 and it is also available 5 to 7, and Tuesday to
Saturday from 12 to 2:30. At lunch there is superb creamy fried polenta and
duck egg with chermoula. A proper breakfast is served with fried eggs, local
pork, beans and focaccia. The heat quotient on the spicy hot chicken sandwich
with sweet pickle, tzatziki, house-made bun and hand-cut fries keeps us coming
back. The falafel plate is four perfectly prepared chickpea fritters served
with seasoned tabbouleh and tiny pots of harissa, tahini and garlic aioli. The
prix fixe dinner menu offers roasted McIntosh farm whole duck with awesome red
curry and sticky rice; hanger steak with pickled “local greens,” asparagus pancake
and nitro hollandaise; sustainably-caught roasted lake pickerel and Shepherd’s
pie with Churchill farms braised lamb and trappings. The prix fixe menu is
available Tuesday through Saturday from 5 pm to 7 pm, offering two courses
for $44.00 and three courses for $49.00.Small plates
menu available Thursday to Saturday 7 to 9 pm. The Red Rabbit is known for
Colonel Collins fried chicken and waffles. Its secret recipe of thirteen herbs
and spices, maple syrup and carrot hot sauce, served with house-cut fries has
made it a Stratford culinary staple. 64 Wellington Street

Stratford’s newest
home for quality live music, dining, and events continue to play host to many
touring and local Canadian artists throughout the summer season. The culinary
team are passionate about creating and serving food that expresses the depth of
Perth County’s food. Last year we began our visits with an exquisite Ontario
Gouda Tasting. This year the kitchen is offering an Ontario Cheddar tasting.
There is a sublime torchon of foie with apple, puffed grains, pecans and
chervil for $20. Trout tartar is served with celeriac variations, shallot,
herbs and Yukon Gold chips. Charcuterie boards are underpinned by technique and
skill and the salumi has plenty of flavour. Offerings have included speck
(smoked pork leg), lonza (cured pork loin), coppa (salt-cured from the neck)
and rillettes. On the dinner menu typical offerings might be monkfish in crispy
chicken skin with salsify, tomatoes, parmesan, arugula, and capers, or lamb
shoulder with fava beans, charred zucchini, patty pan, pearl onion, and radish
with lamb jus. There are some interesting late night après-theatre plates.
It should be noted that there were 22 VQA’s on the impressive wine list at last
glance. Upstairs, The Chapel features a 60-seat gastro lounge and a VIP
balcony called Confession. In season Revival House features a smart patio.
70 Brunswick Street, 519-273-3424, www.revival.house

Rundles

This is high-end contemporary French cuisine, artfully
plated, with a world influence. Neil Baxter has been chef de cuisine at Rundles
since 1981. Rundles has always been synonymous with classicism and a rarified
level of oenophile sophistication.

There is a small and interesting table d’hôte featuring six
appetizers, six main courses, and desserts. Appetizers might include smoked
trout and pickled asparagus with coddled quail’s eggs, and dill cream; or
rabbit and foie gras rillettes garnished with pickled cherries, pistachio
yogurt, and violet mustard. Main dishes might include pan fried halibut cheeks,
roast curried celery root, fingerling potatoes, capicola, and dashi
(Japanese-style, clear sauce); or barbecued pork belly pickled cockles, steamed
bok choy and sea asparagus. The table d’hôte menu features a selection from the
appetizer section, a main dish, dessert, and coffee or tea for $114.50 per
person. Wine, taxes and service are extra. An extensive wine list features
vintages that range from small, local, boutique winery selections to those of
the exceptional Grand Crus of Bordeaux. The Garden Room, with floor-to-ceiling
windows, offers a relaxing ambience and the perfect lounge to enjoy cocktails
before or after dinner. Open for the season to September 24, 2016. 9 Cobourg
Street, 519-271-6442 www.rundlesrestaurant.com

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Ontario Culinary Tourist

I am a
writer, culinary columnist and food and social media editor in London and
Toronto, Ontario. A chef, former restaurateur and hospitality consultant with
over thirty years in the industry, my work has appeared in a variety of print
and on-line publications. I also freelance written editorial and visual content
for tourism and corporate clients.